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Introduction: Mast cells are the principal cells involved in acute and chronic colitis due to radiation, known as radiation-induced colitis (RIC). In this study, we investigated whether pretreatment with tranilast, a mast cell inhibitor, could alleviate chronic RIC. Methods: A total of 23 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group (n = 5), radiation group (RG, n = 9), and tranilast-pretreated radiation group (TG, n = 9). The rats in the RG and the TG were irradiated in the pelvic area (1.5 cm from the anus) with a single dose of 20 Gy under general anesthesia. Tranilast (100 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to the rats of the TG for 10 days, starting from the day of pelvic radiation. Ten weeks after radiation, the rats were euthanized. Rectal tissue samples were histologically evaluated for the total inflammation score (TIS) and mast cell count. The expression of MUC2, MUC5AC, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was also assessed immunohistochemically. Results: Both the TIS and specific components of TIS such as epithelial atypia, vascular sclerosis, and colitis cystica profunda (CCP) were significantly higher in the RG than in the TG (p = 0.02, 0.038, 0.025, and 0.01, respectively). Thein number of infiltrating mast cells was significantly higher in the RG than in the TG (median [range]: 20 [3−54] versus 6 [3−25], respectively; p = 0.034). Quantitatively, the number of MMP-9-positive cells was significantly higher in the RG (23.67 ± 19.00) than in the TG (10.25 ± 8.45) (mean ± standard deviation; p < 0.05). TIS and MMP-9 exhibited a strong association (correlation coefficient r = 0.56, p < 0.05). Immunohistochemically, the mucin-lake of CCP showed no staining for MUC5AC but was stained positive for MUC2. Conclusion: Tranilast pretreatment of chronic RIC showed an anti-inflammatory effect associated with the reduction of mast cell infiltration and MMP-9 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collision tumors of the ovaries are rare, with only a few reports in the literature. Adult granulosa cell tumors are a relatively common primary tumor component of previously reported collision tumors. The combination of serous and mucinous tumors with adult granulosa cell tumors has been reported in several cases. On the other hand, mesonephric-like adenocarcinomas are rare neoplasms that commonly arise in the uterine corpus and ovaries. In this report, we present the case of a collision tumor composed of an adult granulosa cell tumor and mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma of the ovary in a 63-year-old woman. The initial magnetic resonance imaging findings showed a cystic mass with an internal hemorrhage, which suggested an adult granulosa cell tumor, and a solid mass with different enhancements. Microscopically, the tumor had two distinct components: An adult granulosa cell tumor and a mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma. Recognizing collision tumors consisting of slow-growing and aggressive tumors may prove beneficial in future diagnostic and treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being applied in pathology and cytology, showing promising results. We collected a large dataset of whole slide images (WSIs) of thyroid fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNA), incorporating z-stacking, from institutions across the nation to develop an AI model. Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective diagnostic accuracy study using thyroid FNA dataset from the Open AI Dataset Project that consists of digitalized images samples collected from 3 university hospitals and 215 Korean institutions through extensive quality check during the case selection, scanning, labeling, and reviewing process. Multiple z-layer images were captured using three different scanners and image patches were extracted from WSIs and resized after focus fusion and color normalization. We pretested six AI models, determining Inception ResNet v2 as the best model using a subset of dataset, and subsequently tested the final model with total datasets. Additionally, we compared the performance of AI and cytopathologists using randomly selected 1031 image patches and reevaluated the cytopathologists' performance after reference to AI results. Results: A total of 10,332 image patches from 306 thyroid FNAs, comprising 78 malignant (papillary thyroid carcinoma) and 228 benign from 86 institutions were used for the AI training. Inception ResNet v2 achieved highest accuracy of 99.7%, 97.7%, and 94.9% for training, validation, and test dataset, respectively (sensitivity 99.9%, 99.6%, and 100% and specificity 99.6%, 96.4%, and 90.4% for training, validation, and test dataset, respectively). In the comparison between AI and human, AI model showed higher accuracy and specificity than the average expert cytopathologists beyond the two-standard deviation (accuracy 99.71% [95% confidence interval (CI), 99.38–100.00%] vs. 88.91% [95% CI, 86.99–90.83%], sensitivity 99.81% [95% CI, 99.54–100.00%] vs. 87.26% [95% CI, 85.22–89.30%], and specificity 99.61% [95% CI, 99.23–99.99%] vs. 90.58% [95% CI, 88.80–92.36%]). Moreover, after referring to the AI results, the performance of all the experts (accuracy 96%, 95%, and 96%, respectively) and the diagnostic agreement (from 0.64 to 0.84) increased. Conclusions: These results suggest that the application of AI technology to thyroid FNA cytology may improve the diagnostic accuracy as well as intra- and inter-observer variability among pathologists. Further confirmatory research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti3C2-MXene material, known for its strong electronic conductivity and optical properties, has emerged as a promising alternative to noble metals as a cocatalyst for the development of efficient photocatalysts used in environmental cleanup. In this study, we investigated the photodegradation of crystal-violet (CV) dye when exposed to UV light using a newly developed photocatalyst known as Ti3C2-MXene/NiO nanocomposite-decorated CsPbI3 perovskite, which was synthesized through a hydrothermal method. Our research investigation into the structural, morphological, and optical characteristics of the Ti3C2-MXene/NiO/CsPbI3 composite using techniques such as FTIR, XRD, TEM, SEM–EDS mapping, XPS, UV–Vis, and PL spectroscopy. The photocatalytic efficacy of the Ti3C2-MXene/NiO/CsPbI3 composite was assessed by evaluating its ability to degrade CV dye in an aqueous solution under UV-light irradiation. Remarkably, the Ti3C2-MXene/NiO/CsPbI3 composite displayed a significant improvement in both the degradation rate and stability of CV dye when compared to the Ti3C2-MXene/NiO nanocomposite and CsPbI3 perovskite materials. Furthermore, the UV–visible absorption spectrum of the Ti3C2-MXene/NiO/CsPbI3 composite demonstrated a reduced band gap of 2.41 eV, which is lower than that of Ti3C2-MXene/NiO (3.10 eV) and Ti3C2-MXene (1.60 eV). In practical terms, the Ti3C2-MXene/NiO/CsPbI3 composite achieved an impressive 92.8% degradation of CV dye within 90 min of UV light exposure. We also confirmed the significant role of photogenerated holes and radicals in the CV dye removal process through radical scavenger trapping experiments. Based on our findings, we proposed a plausible photocatalytic mechanism for the Ti3C2-MXene/NiO/CsPbI3 composite. This research may open up new avenues for the development of cost-effective and high-performance MXene-based perovskite photocatalysts, utilizing abundant and sustainable materials for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeted drug delivery to tumor cells may be possible using nanoparticles containing human therapeutic drugs. The present study was carried out to develop cisplatin (CP) and 5-fluorouracil (FA) encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs), crosslinked with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) by an ionic gelation method and in vitro release, promoting antibacterial and anticancer activities. The prepared CSNPs, before and after CP and FA encapsulation, have been studied using various characterization techniques such as FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TEM-SAED patterning. The composites were well-dispersed, with an average particle size diameter of about 395.3 ± 14.3 nm, 126.7 ± 2.6 nm, and 82.5 ± 2.3 nm, respectively. In vitro release studies indicated a controlled and sustained release of CP and FA from the CSNPs, with the release amounts of 72.9 ± 3.6% and 94.8 ± 2.9%. The antimicrobial activity of the CSNPs-FA (91.37 ± 4.37% and 89.28 ± 3.19%) showed a significantly better effect against E. coli and S. aureus than that shown by the CSNPs-CP (63.41 ± 3.84% and 57.62 ± 4.28%). The HCT-116 cell lines were selected for in vitro cell cytotoxicity and live/dead assay to evaluate the preliminary anticancer efficacy of the CSNPs-CP and CSNPs-FA towards successfully inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Evaluation of genetic mutations in cancers is important because distinct mutational profiles help determine individualized drug therapy. However, molecular analyses are not routinely performed in all cancers because they are expensive, time-consuming and not universally available. Artificial intelligence (AI) has shown the potential to determine a wide range of genetic mutations on histologic image analysis. Here, we assessed the status of mutation prediction AI models on histologic images by a systematic review. Methods A literature search using the MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases was conducted in August 2021. The articles were shortlisted by titles and abstracts. After a full-text review, publication trends, study characteristic analysis and comparison of performance metrics were performed. Results Twenty-four studies were found mostly from developed countries, and their number is increasing. The major targets were gastrointestinal, genitourinary, gynecological, lung and head and neck cancers. Most studies used the Cancer Genome Atlas, with a few using an in-house dataset. The area under the curve of some of the cancer driver gene mutations in particular organs was satisfactory, such as 0.92 of BRAF in thyroid cancers and 0.79 of EGFR in lung cancers, whereas the average of all gene mutations was 0.64, which is still suboptimal. Conclusion AI has the potential to predict gene mutations on histologic images with appropriate caution. Further validation with larger datasets is still required before AI models can be used in clinical practice to predict gene mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geopolymer concrete is a useful alternative construction material for bridge deck systems, as it is characterized by a low carbon footprint, rapid setting, quick strength development, low cost, freeze-thaw resistance, low shrinkage, and sulphate and corrosion resistance. Heat curing enhances the mechanical properties of geopolymer materials (GPM), but it is not suitable for large structures, as it affects construction activities and increases energy consumption. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of preheated sand at varying temperatures on GPM compressive strength (Cs), the influence of Na2SiO3 (sodium silicate)-to-NaOH (sodium hydroxide—10 molar concentration), and fly ash-to-granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) ratios on the workability, setting time, and mechanical strength properties of high-performance GPM. The results indicate that a mix design with preheated sand improved the Cs of the GPM compared to sand at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C). This was caused by the heat energy increasing the kinetics of the polymerization reaction under similar curing conditions and with a similar curing period and fly ash-to-GGBS quantity. Additionally, 110 °C was shown to be the optimal preheated sand temperature in terms of enhancing the Cs of the GPM. A Cs of 52.56 MPa was achieved after three hours of hot oven curing at a constant temperature of 50 °C. GGBS in the geopolymer paste increased the mechanical and microstructure properties of the GPM as a result of different formations of crystalline calcium silicate (C-S-H) gel. The synthesis of C-S-H and amorphous gel in the Na2SiO3 (SS) and NaOH (SH) solution increased the Cs of the GPM. We conclude that a Na2SiO3-to-NaOH ratio (SS-to-SH) of 5% was optimal in terms of enhancing the Cs of the GPM for sand preheated at 110 °C. Additionally, as the quantity of ground GGBS in the geopolymer paste increased, the thermal resistance of the GPM was significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of highly efficient visible light-driven photocatalysts for the removal of diverse pollutants is crucial for wastewater treatment. In this study, a series of ZnS/FeWO 4 composites were prepared via a facile hydrothermal method combined with in situ calcination. The photocatalytic properties of the resulting ZnS/FeWO 4 composites were evaluated for the degradation of tetracycline (TC) and the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli), considering the environmental persistence and potential carcinogenicity of these pollutants. The optimized ZnS/FeWO 4 -1:2 photocatalyst demonstrated outstanding activity in the degradation of TC, achieving a degradation efficiency of 91.7 % (k = 0.0230 min⁻¹), which is significantly higher than that of pristine FeWO 4 (67.5 %) and ZnS (53.4 %). Kinetic studies confirmed that the degradation process followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Furthermore, the as-prepared photocatalyst exhibited excellent stability after five cycles. Additionally, the ZnS/FeWO 4 -1:2 composites showed potent inactivation efficiency, achieving approximately 96 % inactivation of 7.0 × 106 CFU/mL E. coli. These superior photocatalytic capabilities are attributed to the effective integration of FeWO 4 with ZnS and the formation of optimal heterojunction structures. This incorporation leads to a delay in electron-hole recombination within the nanocomposites. Moreover, the enhancement mechanisms of photocatalytic TC degradation over ZnS/FeWO 4 -1:2 composites were discussed. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the multi-application potential of ZnS/FeWO 4 -1:2 composites and demonstrate an effective approach to designing photocatalysts for wastewater treatment. • ZnS/FeWO 4 composites were successfully prepared via facile hydrothermal method combined with in situ calcination. • The optimized ZnS/FeWO 4 -1:2 composites showed excellent photocatalytic activity, achieving 91.7 % degradation of TC within 105 min. • The ZnS/FeWO 4 -1:2 composites showed good antibacterial activity, achieving 96 % inactivation of 7.0 × 106 CFU/mL E. coli. • The composites maintained photostability and catalytic efficacy over five cycles, confirming their robustness and reusability. • The Z-scheme charge separation offers insights into the design of high-efficiency nanojunction photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, sodium alginate (SA) composite films containing propolis extract (PRO) and graphene oxide (GO) were developed. Subsequently, the effects of PRO and GO on different properties of SA composite films were studied, and the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. The PRO release properties and fruit preservation performance of the developed composite films were also investigated. The results showed that the incorporation of PRO resulted in a 51.16% increase in tensile strength. The simultaneous incorporation of PRO and GO reduced water vapor permeability (WVP) by 22.56% compared to the SA film. The temperatures at which the SA/GO/PRO film lost 5% of its weight were 8.0°C higher than those of the SA film. The incorporation of GO into the SA/PRO composite film also modulates the release of PRO. Furthermore, the incorporation of PRO and GO improved the tensile strength of the SA film, as reflected in the microstructure of the films. The reduced WVP of the SA composite film allowed the packaged blueberries to exhibit less weight loss and shrinkage, thereby prolonging their shelf life. • Sodium alginate films containing propolis extract (PRO) and graphene oxide (GO) were prepared. • The mechanical properties of films were improved by addition of PRO and GO. • The introduction of PRO and GO improved the barrier properties of films. • Sodium alginate/GO/PRO films show promising effects in fruit preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Artificial intelligence (AI) has attracted significant interest in the healthcare sector due to its promising results. Cytological examination is a critical step in the initial diagnosis of cancer. Here, we conducted a systematic review with quantitative analysis to understand the current status of AI applications in non-gynecological (non-GYN) cancer cytology. In our analysis, we found that most of the studies focused on classification and segmentation tasks. Overall, AI showed promising results for non-GYN cancer cytopathology analysis. However, the lack of well-annotated, large-scale datasets with Z-stacking and external cross-validation was the major limitation across all studies. State-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) has recently gained considerable interest in the healthcare sector and has provided solutions to problems through automated diagnosis. Cytological examination is a crucial step in the initial diagnosis of cancer, although it shows limited diagnostic efficacy. Recently, AI applications in the processing of cytopathological images have shown promising results despite the elementary level of the technology. Here, we performed a systematic review with a quantitative analysis of recent AI applications in non-gynecological (non-GYN) cancer cytology to understand the current technical status. We searched the major online databases, including MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE, for relevant English articles published from January 2010 to January 2021. The searched query terms were: "artificial intelligence", "image processing", "deep learning", "cytopathology", and "fine-needle aspiration cytology." Out of 17,000 studies, only 26 studies (26 models) were included in the full-text review, whereas 13 studies were included for quantitative analysis. There were eight classes of AI models treated of according to target organs: thyroid (n = 11, 39%), urinary bladder (n = 6, 21%), lung (n = 4, 14%), breast (n = 2, 7%), pleural effusion (n = 2, 7%), ovary (n = 1, 4%), pancreas (n = 1, 4%), and prostate (n = 1, 4). Most of the studies focused on classification and segmentation tasks. Although most of the studies showed impressive results, the sizes of the training and validation datasets were limited. Overall, AI is also promising for non-GYN cancer cytopathology analysis, such as pathology or gynecological cytology. However, the lack of well-annotated, large-scale datasets with Z-stacking and external cross-validation was the major limitation found across all studies. Future studies with larger datasets with high-quality annotations and external validation are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Although the evaluation of microsatellite instability (MSI) is important for immunotherapy, it is not feasible to test MSI in all cancers due to the additional cost and time. Recently, artificial intelligence (AI)-based MSI prediction models from whole slide images (WSIs) are being developed and have shown promising results. However, these models are still at their elementary level, with limited data for validation. This study aimed to assess the current status of AI applications to WSI-based MSI prediction and to suggest a better study design. The performance of the MSI prediction models were promising, but a small dataset, lack of external validation, and lack of a multiethnic population dataset were the major limitations. Through a combination with high-sensitivity tests such as polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical stains, AI-based MSI prediction models with a high performance and appropriate large datasets will reduce the cost and time for MSI testing and will be able to enhance the immunotherapy treatment process in the near future. Cancers with high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) have a better prognosis and respond well to immunotherapy. However, MSI is not tested in all cancers because of the additional costs and time of diagnosis. Therefore, artificial intelligence (AI)-based models have been recently developed to evaluate MSI from whole slide images (WSIs). Here, we aimed to assess the current state of AI application to predict MSI based on WSIs analysis in MSI-related cancers and suggest a better study design for future studies. Studies were searched in online databases and screened by reference type, and only the full texts of eligible studies were reviewed. The included 14 studies were published between 2018 and 2021, and most of the publications were from developed countries. The commonly used dataset is The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. Colorectal cancer (CRC) was the most common type of cancer studied, followed by endometrial, gastric, and ovarian cancers. The AI models have shown the potential to predict MSI with the highest AUC of 0.93 in the case of CRC. The relatively limited scale of datasets and lack of external validation were the limitations of most studies. Future studies with larger datasets are required to implicate AI models in routine diagnostic practice for MSI prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mitochondrial microsatellite instability (MtMSI) was found in 2 (3.5%) of 57 Keratoacanthoma (KA) patients and 8 (18.6%) of 43 cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients. • In KA patients, MtMSI was detected at mitochondrial D514 D-loop in the (CA)n repeats, while all of the SCC patients presented with instabilities at D310 resulting in (C)n repeats within the D-loop region. • Our results reveal a statistically significant difference in the frequency of MtMSI between KA and SCC. • MtMSI may be a novel method for facilitating the differential diagnosis of KA and SCC. Keratoacanthoma (KA) is a common cutaneous neoplasm which often resembles typical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in both its clinical and historical presentation. Several studies have attempted to identify methods for distinguishing between KA and SCC, however, none of these have proven to play any obvious roles in these tumors. Given this we went on to evaluate mitochondrial microsatellite instability (mtMSI) in KA and SCC in an effort to understand these tumors better. DNA was isolated from paired normal and tumoral tissues donated by 57 KA patients and 43 SCC patients. MtMSI was then analyzed using eight microsatellite markers and was observed in 2 (3.5%) of the 57 KA patients and 8 (18.6%) of the 43 SCC patients, respectively. MtMSI was also shown to affect different locations depending on tumor type. In KA patients, mtMSI was detected at mitochondrial D514 D-loop and presented with (CA) n repeats, in contrast, all of the SCC patient experienced mtMSI at the D310 with (C)n repeats of the D-loop region. These differences in location were found to be significant, which may support the hypothesis that KA and SCC have different pathogenetic pathways. Our results also suggest that mtMSI may be a candidate for developing novel differential diagnostic methods for KA and SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of international journals in food science, technology, and nutrition require authors to include an illustrative and pictorial graphical abstract to concisely capture the essence of the study reported in the submitted manuscript. Numerous journals across different publishers implement this trending mandate. A typical graphical abstract consists of several individual graphs, pictures, or drawings, which are not necessarily derived from the experimental data collected, and the text should be kept very minimal. The images should clearly represent the work described in the paper. The graphical abstract is to be submitted as a separate file. Failure to include a graphical abstract at the time of manuscript submission will result in the automatic rejection of the paper, that is, the manuscript is deemed incomplete and thus will not be entered in the peer-review process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, cerium oxide (CeO 2) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using a facile, low temperature solution process and coated using spin coating and spray coating approaches, for the fabrication of a hydrophobic surface coating. Silicon wafer (Si) substrates coated with CeO 2 NPs exhibited excellent hydrophobic behavior, but poor adhesion of the NPs to the substrate was observed - likely due to the low surface polarity of CeO 2 NPs. Polyacrylic acid (PAA) was introduced as an adhesion promoter to improve NP surface characteristics and obtain an adherent and cohesive coating. Slight polarity tuning and binder inclusion significantly enhanced the binding capability of the NPs as determined by peel-off measurements. The superior mechanical properties of NP coatings were attributed to the incorporation of PAA in the polymeric network. It improves inter-particle and particle-substrate secondary interactions, ultimately aiding NP cohesion and adhesion when deposited onto the Si substrate. The adhesive and hydrophobic properties of CeO 2 NP coatings were maintained upon exposure to high temperatures, and the coatings are transparent as well, making them suitable for various applications, such as cookware, glass coating and technology components. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a method based on solvent extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been validated for the determination of 1,4-dioxane in cosmetics. Various solvents including ethyl acetate, hexane, methanol, dichloromethane and acetone have been used for the extraction of 1,4-dioxane, among them the ethyl acetate was found to be the most efficient extracting solvent. This method has offered excellent quality parameters for instance linearity (R2 > 0.9991), limit of detection (LOD, 0.00065-0.00091 µg/mL), limit of quantification (LOQ, 0.00217–0.00304 µg/mL) and, precision intra-day (1.65–2.60%, n = 5) and inter-day (0.16–0.32%, n = 5) in terms of relative standard deviation (RSD%). A total of thirty-nine cosmetic samples of different brands and origin have been studied. Among them, the 1,4-dioxane was found in twenty-three samples (FB1-FB7, MC1-MC4, MC6-MC8, HS3, HS5, BL1-BL3, BL5 and PLD1-PLD3) at the levels between 0.15 µg/mL and 9.92 µg/mL, whereas in sixteen samples (MC5, HS1, HS2, SG1-SG5, BL4 and HP1- HP6) was found to be not detected. The recovery values were achieved between 93% and 99% in both low and high level of spiked samples. In comparison to the traditional analytical techniques, the proposed method was found to be very sensitive and cost-effective for the routine analysis of 1,4-dioxane at low concentration in cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a simple hydrothermal method to synthesize a ternary nanocomposite of Pt-TiO 2 decorated on MoSe 2 as a photocatalyst for hydrogen (H 2) evolution from an aqueous methanol solution. The-as prepared Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite were characterized by XRD, Raman spectra, electron microscopy (FE-SEM/Mapping and HR-TEM), XPS UV-Vis and PL analysis. XRD patterns confirmed the presence of MoSe 2 and Pt-TiO 2 crystal phases in the Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite. Raman spectra displayed characteristic peaks corresponding to Mo-Se out-of-plane vibration and Pt-TiO 2 vibration modes, confirming the successful synthesis of Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite. FE-SEM images showed a sheet-like morphology for MoSe 2 -NS and spherical Pt/TiO 2 particles, with MoSe 2 sparsely scattered on the Pt-TiO 2 surface with EDS mapping confirmed even element distribution of Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite. TEM images revealed the transparent nature of MoSe 2 -NS with well-resolved lattice fringes. Pt-TiO 2 exhibited uniform dispersion of Pt nanoparticles on TiO 2 , and the Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite showed integration of MoSe 2 -NS with Pt-TiO 2. HRTEM images confirmed the lattice fringes of MoSe 2 -NS, Pt, and TiO 2 particles. Tauc plot measurements revealed optical band gaps of 2.99 eV for MoSe 2 -NS, 3.19 eV for Pt-TiO 2 , and 2.78 eV for Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2. XPS analysis confirmed the presence of Mo, Se, Pt, Ti, O, and C elements in the Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite. Based on the photoelectrochemical measurements, the Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite show the lower onset overpotential of 123 mV, which is much higher than Pt-TiO 2 (179 mV) and MoSe 2 (213 mV) at 10 mA/cm2. The photocatalytic efficiency of Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite in the context of H 2 production through the enhancement of aqueous methanol under visible light exposure was assessed across different factors. Among these, the Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite exhibited the highest photoactivity in H 2 production at 1337 μmolg−1 after 4 h. These results show the promising potential of the Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite catalyst in addressing both environmental and energy challenges in the future. [Display omitted] • Pt-TiO 2 -decorated MoSe 2 -NS were successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method. • Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 were characterized by XRD, Raman, UV–vis, XPS and SEM-TEM analysis. • Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 nanocomposite were demonstrated superior photo-electrocatalytic activity. • Pt-TiO 2 /MoSe 2 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity of H 2 at 1337 μmolg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SPE and UPLC-MS/MS was validated for analysis of malachite green in wastewater. • SPE bio-sorbent, a lignocellulose biomass was prepared from moringa oleifera pods. • Methanol was found to be the most efficient extracting solvent. • Analysis time was found to be <1 min with excellent peak resolution and symmetry. • Optimized method has been applied for the analysis of industrial wastewater samples. A method based on eco-friendly solid-phase extraction (SPE) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was validated for the trace analysis of malachite green (MG) in industrial wastewater samples. For the extraction of MG, a lignocellulose biomass composite material was prepared from moringa oleifera pods, which were modified with CuFe 2 O 4, and used as solid phase extraction bio-sorbent. The chromatographic separation of MG was optimised using an Acquity® BEH C 18 analytical column in isocratic separation conditions (65% water with formic acid (0.1%, v/v) and 35% methanol). The total separation time was <1 min with satisfactory resolution and symmetry. The proposed method offers suitable validation parameters in terms of linearity (r2 > 0.999), precision (run-to-run and day-to-day) <4%, and sensitivity with a limit of detection of 0.1 μg/L. The optimized method has been applied in the analysis of industrial wastewater samples (printing press, paper, textile and laundry), and the amounts obtained were in the range of 0.62 to 1.68 mg/L with recovery rates ranging from 99 to 103%. The achieved outcomes confirmed the applicability of the proposed analytical methodology as a novel advantageous approach for the routine analysis of MG in industrial effluents. In the future, this method could be comprehensively applied in the efficient removal of colored pollutants as well as for the quantification of the exposure to MG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are foodborne carcinogens for which their formation is highly dependent on cooking conditions. HCAs have been commonly quantified in food items prepared with simple procedures. This approach is suitable for elucidating HCAs' formation, but it only partially reflects the contamination in consumed food. In the current investigation, the generation of HCAs has been investigated in fried beef items prepared with elaborated cooking recipes, and their occurrence has been compared with control beef fried without the addition of ingredients other than oil. The food recipes that included a variety of food ingredients had lower yields of mutagenic HCAs (≥47% reduction, with individual HCA levels ranging between 0.01 and 2.22 ng/g) with respect to the control beef. In contrast, the co-mutagens norharman and harman were formed generally at greater levels (up to three times the contamination in the control fried beef) in the items prepared including a greater variety of ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Rhodamine B is a synthetic dye used in many industries including cosmetics. Long-term contact may results neurotoxicity, genotoxicity and cancer. In the present work, a simple solvent extraction followed by rapid, sensitive and selective ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method has been proposed for the identification and quantification of rhodamine B in lip balm samples for the first time to our knowledge. The best extraction was achieved using organic solvent n-hexane followed by sonication, centrifugation and evaporation. The chromatographic separation was attained in <1 min with Acquity™ BEH C 18 reversed phase column and a tandem mass spectrometer. The limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), linearity, precisions and accuracy of the proposed method were determined. The LOD and LOQ were found to be 0.1 μg/kg and 0.4 μg/kg, respectively. The linearity (R 2 ) was obtained (>0.999) when analyzing low to higher range of concentrations. The precisions with relative standard deviation (RSD%) values in terms of repeatability (<2%, n = 5) and reproducibility (<3%, n = 5) were achieved. The accuracy in terms of recovery was obtained between 93% and 98%. The optimized procedures have been applied for the identification and quantification of rhodamine B in commercial lip balm samples from various brands and origin, and the amounts were obtained from not detected to 70.44 μg/kg. The good quality conditions, negligible matrix influence and higher recovery values obtained throughout analysis have proved the suitability of the present method for the routine analysis of rhodamine B in lip balm samples. The achieved results could be used to approximate the application of rhodamine B from individuals either from Saudi Arabia or globally, and thus to improve the quality and safety of lip balm products. Graphical Abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Low-cost extraction method was optimized for rhodamine B analysis in lip balm. • UPLC–MS/MS for rhodamine B analysis in lip balm has been presented in this work. • Method provides good LOD (0.1 μg/kg) and precisions (<3%). • Method was found to be rapid analysis with better sensitivity and selectivity. • Method offers benefits in eliminating extensive cleanup of sample prior to analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Surfactant-induced amyloid fibrillation has many implications in laboratory and industry. Previously, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB; C 19 H 42 BrN) induced amyloid formation in concanavalin A (ConA) has been reported by authors (Khan, JM et al., 2016 A). In this work, cationic gemini surfactants pentanediyl‑1,5‑bis (dimethylcetylammonium bromide); 16-5-16 (G5), and hexanediyl‑1,6‑bis (dimethyl cetyl ammonium bromide); 16-6-16 (G6) were found to induce amyloid-like aggregation in ConA as studied with turbidity at 350 nm, Rayleigh scattering and Thioflavin T (ThT) binding assay and Far UV CD. The sizes of the aggregates were characterized with dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Hydrodynamic radii (Rh) of the aggregates were found to be 74 nm and 122 nm with 50 μM of G5 and G6 respectively. Even at 7.5 μM, gemini surfactants seems disrupting hydrophobic pockets of ConA and result in aggregation. On the contrary, aggregation disappeared around 250 μM surfactant concentration with β-sheet → α-helix transition. The re-establishment of intra-molecular hydrogen bonding may have resulted in the formation of non-native α-helical structures. Alcohols, predominantly 2,2,2‑trifuloroethanol (TFE), have been reported to induce α-helices in β-sheet proteins by solvent engineering. There are very few reports of β-sheet to α-helix transition induced by non-alcoholic substances. Our lab is pioneer in reporting surfactant (CTAB) induced β-sheet to α-helix transition in ConA (Khan, JM et al., 2016 A). This is the first report of G5 and G6 gemini surfactant induced β-sheet to α-helix transition, as per our knowledge. ConA being apoptotic to cancerous cells and having potential therapeutic effect on hepatoma, the observations done in this work could be of immense interest in vesicular delivery of ConA. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Low concentrations of G5 and G6 surfactant promote amyloid fibril in ConA protein. • Higher concentrations of G5 and G6 do not promote amyloid fibril formation. • G5 and G6 are transforming β-sheet structure of Con A into α-helix. • G6 is inducing bigger size aggregates compared to G5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the effect of various natural food condiments (garlic, ginger, pepper, tomato and onion) on the formation of heterocyclic amines (HAs) in cooked camel meat was studied. In control sample, the amount of HAs MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx and PhIP were obtained between 2.10 and 5.22 ng/g, while, MeIQ and IQ were found less than quantification limit. The camel meat cooked with different food condiments, the HAs were found in lesser amounts. MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx and PhIP were detected from 0.42 to 2.83 ng/g, however, MeIQ and IQ were not indentified in any analyzed samples. Consequently, camel meat cooked by various food condiments illustrates the capability to reduce the HAs formation. Such information may be elucidated because of the presence of antioxidants in such condiments which might have pro-oxidative effects with the subsequent formation of peroxyl radicals or by the scavenging of oxygen or free radicals. Practical Applications This is the first study relating to the inhibition of HAs by means of some common food condiments in cooked camel meat. In this work, five HAs such as MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, PhIP, MeIQ and IQ have been studied in camel meat samples thermally processed with or without food condiments. Our results evidently demonstrate that the formation of HAs in cooked camel meat is highly affected by using food condiments. The current study also illustrates that the concentrations of HAs can be kept at low levels by cooking the meat that include food condiments. The obtained results could be used to estimate the human intake of HAs either in Saudi Arabia or global and supplied to the search of good food condiments that reduce the threat of exposure to HAs, and thus to advance the food security and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid, sensitive and precise method for the determination of bromate (BrO 3 − ), nitrate (NO 3 − ) and nitrite (NO 2 − ) in drinking water was developed with Ultra performance Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (UPLC–ESI/MS). The elution of BrO 3 − , NO 3 − and NO 2 − was attained in less than two minutes in a reverse phase column. Quality parameters of the method were established; run-to-run and day-to-day precisions were <3% when analysing standards at 10 µg L −1 . The limit of detection was 0.04 µg NO 2 − L –1 and 0.03 µg L –1 for both NO 3 − and BrO 3 − . The developed UPLC–ESI/MS method was used to quantify these anions in metropolitan water from Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh areas) and commercial bottled water (from well or unknown source) after mere filtration steps. The quantified levels of NO 3 − were not found to pose a risk. In contrast, BrO 3 − was found above the maximum contaminant level established by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 25% and 33% of the bottled and metropolitan waters, respectively. NO 2 − was found at higher concentrations than the aforementioned limits in 70% and 92% of the bottled and metropolitan water samples, respectively. Therefore, remediation measures or improvements in the disinfection treatments are required. The concentrations of BrO 3 − , NO 3 − and NO 2 − were mapped with Principal Component analysis (PCA), which differentiated metropolitan water from bottled water through the concentrations of BrO 3 − and NO 3 − mainly. Furthermore, it was possible to discriminate between well water; blend of well water and desalinated water; and desalinated water. The point or source (region) was found to not be distinctive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi are interestingly; produce the bioactive natural products thus being screened for the production of valuable antibacterial product. In the present study the fungus was isolated from soil and identified as Myrothecium spp. MRP001 based on morphological characteristics and it was reinforced by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The submerged culture conditions and nutritional requirements for the production of mycelial biomass with improved antibacterial activity were studied in shaker flask culture using OFAT (one factor at time) in six different media, After 120 h of growth, Tryptone Soya Broth (TSB) and Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) shows maximum spore account (2?108 CFU/ml) of Myrothecium spp MRP001. Among the all different culture media, the maximum biomass production of 2.14 g/L and 2.23 g/L were observed in Tryptone Soya Broth (TSB) and Potato dextrose broth (PDB) respectively, over a period of 120 h of incubation at pH of 6.5 in 25-30 ?C in Myrothecium spp. Strain MRP001. Among the carbon sources, glucose supplemented basal medium showed an effective biomass production of 2.24 g/L. whereas in nitrogen sources, yeast extract had significant biomass production of 2.12 g/L. The optimized ethyl acetate extract of cultural filtrate showed a maximum inhibition zone of 28.4 mm and 26.3 mm against multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa strain 1 and S. aureus strain 5, respectively. These results are useful for further investigation of the fungus in the future for microbial disease treatment for multi drug resistant human pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are known to be suspected human carcinogens produced by high-temperature cooking of protein-rich foods such as meat and fish. In the present study, the influence of numerous food condiments on the formation of HCAs in cooked chicken was investigated. Chicken samples were subjected to pan-frying under controlled temperature. The levels of HCAs DMIP, MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, PhIP, harman and norharman were found to be between 0.93 and 27.52 ng g−1, whereas IQ, MeIQ, AαC, MeAαC, Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 were found either below the limit of quantification or not detected in the control sample. Nevertheless, for samples cooked using food condiments, the amounts of HCAs (DMIP, MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx and PhIP) were between 0.14 and 19.57 ng g−1; harman and norharman were detected at higher concentrations up to 17.77 ng g−1while IQ and MeIQ were at levels below the limit of quantification; and AαC, MeAαC, Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 were not detected in any of the samples. The outcomes revealed that the formation of HCAs (except harman and norharman) diminished after the addition of food condiments. Edible oil contributed to the highest levels of HCA formation, followed by garlic, paprika, pepper and tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are key signaling molecules that play an important role in the progression of inflammatory disorders. An enhanced ROS generation by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) at the site of inflammation causes endothelial dysfunction and tissue injury. The vascular endothelium plays an important role in passage of macromolecules and inflammatory cells from the blood to tissue. Under the inflammatory conditions, oxidative stress produced by PMNs leads to the opening of inter-endothelial junctions and promotes the migration of inflammatory cells across the endothelial barrier. The migrated inflammatory cells not only help in the clearance of pathogens and foreign particles but also lead to tissue injury. The current review compiles the past and current research in the area of inflammation with particular emphasis on oxidative stress-mediated signaling mechanisms that are involved in inflammation and tissue injury. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 20, 1126-1167. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the scenario, a novel Ce 2 (WO 4) 3 /ZnO@GO (CWZG) nanocomposite (NCs) were constructed by an easier hydrothermal technique. The crystalline phase and the structure of the material were characterized by the Powder X-Ray diffraction analysis (P-XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis; the presenting elements for synthesized materials were confirmed by EDAX spectroscopy analysis. The corresponding band energy value and the adsorption value for the degradation of the pollutants were examined by UV–Visible spectroscopy and DRS-UV spectroscopic techniques. In this process, the CWZG catalyst has higher photocatalytic performance in the visible region toward the decomposition of ciprofloxacin (CIP), methylene blue (MB) and amaranth dye (AM) with above 95% efficiency. The CWZG NCs have better catalytic performance and high stability even after more than four repeating recycle tests. The plausible degradation mechanism of the pollutants degradation reaction was examined by the Reactive Oxidative Species (ROS) test. Besides, the CWZG nanocomposite exhibits a superior capacitance of 114 Fg−1 than the other host materials. This superior electrochemical performance redox reactivity of the prepared material denotes the significance in photocatalytic applications. The above results strongly testify to the fact that CWZG nanocomposite may be a good photocatalytic material for environmental use. [Display omitted] • Novel Ce 2 (WO 4) 3 /ZnO@GO (CWZG) nanocomposite were constructed by a simple hydrothermal technique. • The SEM reveals the Plate like Ce 2 (WO 4) 3 and hexagonal ZnO structure on the surface of GO. • The CWZG enhancing the degradation rate of above 95% for CIP antibiotic, MB and AM dye degradation. • The different optimum parameters and recycle ability were studied. • It exhibits the superior capacitance value of 114 Fg−1 than the other host materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs), whichare formed during the cookingof protein-rich foods, are potent mutagens and a risk factor for humancancers. Levels of HCAs have been extensively investigated in meatproducts but not in fish products. Here, we report levels of HCAsin fried salmon, tuna, hake, sardine, angler fish, cod, sole, swordfish,squid, and cuttlefish. The HCA levels of some of these foods havenot been previously analyzed. We employed multivariate factor-analysistools, including principal components analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares(PLS) regression, to study the effects of cooking weight loss andlevels of creatine, glucose, and free amino acids on HCA levels. Thehighest concentrations of mutagenic HCAs, 159.3 ng·g–1total, where 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) accounted for 121 ng·g–1, were found in fried swordfish (cooking loss of 51.8%). These levelsare higher than those generally found in fried chicken, which is typicallycited as the most contaminated food item. Thus, swordfish is amongthe richest known sources of HCAs. The other cooked seafood itemscontained from 0.4 to 35.4 ng·g–1HCAs, comparableto concentrations typically reported for meat. Chemometric analysisshowed that the fish species is the most influential parameter onthe formation of HCAs such as DMIP, PhIP, and norharman. Concentrationsof histidine, lysine, creatine, and glucose, as well as weight loss,also influence the yield of HCAs. These results suggest that seafoodis an important dietary source of HCAs. The formation of HCAs in fishis influenced by multiple factors, some of which remain unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Heavy Metal Ions Removal from Aqueous Solutions by Treated Ajwa Date Pits: Kinetic, Isotherm, and Thermodynamic Approach" published in the journal Polymers. The correction addresses a mistake in Figure 2B of the original publication, where the wrong image was uploaded. The corrected SEM images of the treated Ajwa date pits (ADP) and treated Ajwa date pits (TADP) at various magnifications are provided. The authors assure that this correction does not affect the scientific conclusions of the study. The original publication has been updated accordingly. [Extracted from the article]

Carbon dioxide and/or dry methane reforming serves as an effective pathway to mitigate these greenhouse gases. This work evaluates different oxide supports including alumina, Y-zeolite and H-ZSM-5 zeolite for the catalysis of dry reforming methane with Nickel (Ni). The composite catalysts were prepared by impregnating the supports with Ni (5%) and followed by calcination. The zeolite supported catalysts exhibited more reducibility and basicity compared to the alumina supported catalysts, this was assessed with temperature programmed reduction using hydrogen and desorption using carbon dioxide. The catalytic activity, in terms of CH4 conversion, indicated that 5 wt% Ni supported on alumina exhibited higher CH4 conversion (80.5%) than when supported on Y-zeolite (71.8%) or H-ZSM-5 (78.5%). In contrast, the H-ZSM-5 catalyst led to higher CO2 conversion (87.3%) than Y-zeolite (68.4%) and alumina (83.9%) supported catalysts. The stability tests for 9 h time-on-stream showed that Ni supported with H-ZSM-5 had less deactivation (just 2%) due to carbon deposition. The characterization of spent catalysts using temperature programmed oxidation (O2-TPO), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that carbon deposition was a main cause of deactivation and that it occurred in the lowest degree on the Ni H-ZSM-5 catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water contaminated with heavy metals constitutes an important threat. This threat is a real problem with a negative impact in some developing countries where untreated industrial effluents are used for irrigation. The present study examines heavy metals in wastewater-irrigated vegetables (apple gourd, spinach, cauliflower, sponge gourd, and coriander) water, and soil from Chenab Nagar, Chiniot, Pakistan. In particular, the metals quantified were cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and manganese (Mn). Among them, Cr and Co in crops irrigated -wastewater exceeded the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In contrast, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Mn concentrations were in line with WHO standards. Compared with the limits established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), all the study vegetables presented higher (thus unsafe) concentrations of Cd (0.38 to 1.205 mg/Kg). There were also unsafe concentrations of Cr in coriander, sponge gourd, and cauliflower. Pb was found at an unsafe concentration (0.59 mg/Kg) in cauliflower. Conversely, Ni and Mn concentrations were below the maximum permissible limits by WHO, and FAO in all of the analyzed samples. The contamination load index (CLI) in soil, bioconcentration factor (BCF) in plants, daily intake of metals (DIM), and health risk index (HRI) have also been evaluated to estimate the potential risk to human health in that area. We have found an important risk of transitions of Pb, Cd, Cr, and Co from water/soil to the edible part of the plant. The highest HRI value associated with Cd (6.10–13.85) followed by Cr (1.25–7.67) for all vegetable samples presented them as high health risk metal contaminants. If the issue is not addressed, consumption of wastewater-irrigated vegetables will continue posing a health risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest strain of Oreochromis niloticus is an altered ecological adaptation for sustainable aquaculture and is necessary to sustain stocking density and reduce physiological stress of the new strain. The present study aimed to determine the optimum stocking density, biological performance, and economic efficiency of the Nile tilapia. The 14,000 healthy seeds and uniform weight (40 ± 2.4 g) sex‐reversed Oreochromis niloticus were stocked in four cages, which are cage (1) 20 fish/m3, cage (2) 30 fish/m3, cage (3) 40 fish/m3, and cage (4) 50 fish/m3. The fish were fed 30% dietary protein and feeding frequency three times per day and the feeding rate adjusted according to the fish body weight. Results showed a significantly higher growth, weight gain, and specific growth rate in Nile tilapia stocking density on cage (1), 20 fish/m3 and cage (2), 30 fish/m3 compared to cage (3), 40 fish/m3 and cage (4), 50 fish/m3 (p < .05). The survival and growth rate showed an inverse relationship with stocking density. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) is the lowest in cage (1) and cage (2), which is significantly different from those of other cages (p < .05). The profit index (%) was significantly higher at low density. There was no significant variation in the HSI, VSI and CF. The digestive enzymes such as lipase and amylase were secreted highly in the cages (3) and (4) but high protease was secreted in cage (1). The lipid, ash, and protein of the whole fish were reduced to a lower density, but the moisture levels in the fish bodies raised significantly (p < .05) with increasing stocking density. The phenomenal regression indicates that 25–35 fish/m3 are optimum stocking density for Nile tilapia in the cage culture system. The current study has made significant step toward optimizing the stocking density of a new strain and developing cage culture in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Nitazoxanide (NTX) exhibits promising therapeutic potential; its effectiveness is constrained by its low oral bioavailability due to its poor water solubility and limited permeability. Methods: This study focused on developing a complex of NTX with β-cyclodextrins (β-CDs), specifically β-CD and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (Hβ-CD), to enhance the solubility and antiviral activity of NTX. Results: The formation of the β-CD:NTX in an aqueous solution was verified using UV–visible spectroscopy, confirming a 1:1 inclusion complex. Characterization of the solid β-CD:NTX complexes was confirmed via FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and DSC-TGA analyses. Molecular docking studies revealed that the NTX thiazole ring with the nitro group was positioned within the β-CDs cavity, while the benzene ring remained outside. Phase solubility tests showed that β-CD:NTX complexes were formed with high stability constants, demonstrating a linear increase in NTX solubility as the β-CD concentration increased. Dissolution tests revealed rapid and nearly complete NTX release within 90 min for β-CD:NTX and Hβ-CD:NTX complexes. The β-CD:NTX complexes were tested for their antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) cultures. Results showed that the Hβ-CD:NTX complex had significantly higher antiviral efficacy than β-CD:NTX and free NTX alone. Moreover, cytotoxicity and cellular uptake studies on Vero cells indicated that the Hβ-CD:NTX complex demonstrated lower cytotoxicity and had the highest IC50 value, followed by β-CD:NTX and free NTX. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Hβ-CD:NTX inclusion complexes may serve as effective carriers for delivering NTX in HSV-1 treatments using Vero cell models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cationic starch serves as a prevalent wet‐end additive in the papermaking industry. Yet, the definitive effects of the ratio between the two principal components—amylose (AM) and amylopectin (AP)—and the degree of substitution (DS) on the mechanical strength enhancement of paper sheets remain incompletely understood. This study synthesizes a series of quaternized amylose (QAM) and quaternized amylopectin (QAP) with varying DS levels and blended these derivatives in diverse ratios. Subsequently, these mixtures are integrated into pulp suspensions to ascertain the DS and the AM‐to‐AP ratio that optimize paper strength. These results indicate that a QAM‐to‐QAP blend with a DS of 0.08 at a ratio of 2:8 yielded the most pronounced improvement in paper mechanical properties. This precise formulation significantly enhances tensile, burst, and tear strength indices, increasing by approximately 55.0%, 44.4%, and 78.4%, respectively, under the most favorable conditions and with an additive dosage of 1 wt.%. This investigation provides substantive and actionable knowledge for selecting starch additives in the wet‐end of papermaking, which can significantly augment the efficiency and efficacy of paper manufacturing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are toxic products from the Maillard reaction that form from the reaction of sugars, amino acids and creatine/creatinine when cooking protein rich food. In this work, commonly consumed meats in Saudi Arabia (camel, beef and chicken) were fried under conditions resembling home cooking. The effect of marinades made of blueberry, raspberry and strawberry were tested separately on meat at different marinating times (1, 6, 12, 24h, at 4 °C) before frying. The marinades caused an overall reduction of HCAs. The decrease was more noticeable with long marination time ≥ 6h. The reduction of individual HCAs, after 24h marinades, was 91–100% for pyridines; 40–67% for β-carbolines; and 100% for quinoxalines, quinolines, α-carbolines and ɣ-carbolines, although the latter three were seldomly detected in this study. An increase, up to 2 times, on the formation of the studied quinoxalines was observed in every meat and marination for no more than 1h. Therefore, longer marinating times with berry extracts, from 6h, are recommended over those below (1h). • From high to low concentration of mutagenic HCAs: fried chicken, camel and beef. • 1h blueberry, raspberry and strawberry juice marinades boosted quinoxalines. • ≥6h blueberry, raspberry and strawberry marinades reduced quinoxaline HCA levels. • ≥12h marinades had high impact on the reduction of pyridines and β-carbolines. • 24h marinades caused 40–100% reduction in total HCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are the harmful elements, regarded as carcinogens. Nevertheless, owing to their physical and chemical properties, they are still used in the production of several commercial products. Utilization of such products increases the chance for the exposure of heavy metals, some of them are categorized as probable human carcinogens (Group 1) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Exposure of heavy metals to school children at early age can result severe life time health issues and high chance of emerging cancer. Thus, we have performed study relating to the presence of heavy metals in acrylic color paints commonly used by the school children. Acrylic paints of different colors were assayed for seven potential heavy metals manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) using microwave digestion and iCAPQ inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) system. The optimized method including paints digestion reagents nitric acid (HNO3, 65%, 5 mL) and hydrofluoric acid (HF, 40%, 2 mL) have offered excellent method performance with recovery values ranged between 99.33% and 105.67%. The elements were identified in all of the analyzed samples with concentrations ranged from 0.05 to 372.59 µg/g. Cd constitutes the lower percentage (0.05%), whereas Zn constitutes high ratio contribution which was tremendously high (68.33%). Besides, the paints contamination was also color specific, with considerably total heavy metal concentrations found in brunt umber (526.57 µg/g) while scarlet color (12.62 µg/g) contained lower amounts. The outcomes of our investigation highlight the necessity for guidelines addressing the heavy metals in acrylic color paints intended for the school children usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High to low amount of HAs: brown, pink, tiger and white shrimp. • Creatine and glucose have boosted the HAs formation. • Stir-frying produced nearly twofold HAs levels than broiling. • Steaming does not yield any HAs. • Epidemiology investigation to account shrimp on cancer risk from HAs. In the present work, fifteen mutagenic/carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HAs) were studied in cooked Caridean shrimp (pink) and Penaeid shrimp (tiger, white and brown). The cooking methods were used as stir-frying, broiling and steaming under controlled temperature and time, and HAs determination was performed by SPE/UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. HAs 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), 2-Amino-1,6-dimethyl-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (DMIP), 1-Methyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (Harman) and 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (Norharman) were identified (0.05–22.48 ng/g) in all stir-fried and broiled shrimp, whereas 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ) was only found (0.08–0.35 ng/g) in stir-fried shrimp. HAs 2-Amino-3,7,8-trimethyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (7,8-DiMeIQx) and, α-carbolines 2-Amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (AαC) and 2-Amino-3-methyl-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (MeAαC), γ-carbolines 3-Amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) and 3-Amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) and δ-carbolines 2-Amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-α:3́,2́-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1) and 2-Aminodipyrido[1,2-α:3́,2́-d]imidazole (Glu-P-2) were not detected or found below quantification limit. Brown shrimp (stir-fried) appeared to be more contaminated which constitutes total HAs (81.93 ng/g) followed by pink (70.41 ng/g), tiger (53.02 ng/g) and white (33.57 ng/g). Steaming method does not yield any HAs, and the cause might be elucidate that shrimp were not directly in contact with cooking pan or fire which affect the HAs formation. Food precursors (protein, moisture, fat, creatine and glucose) were also measured in raw and cooked shrimp to investigate the influence on HAs formation. Creatine (3.85 mg/g) and glucose (0.43 mg/g) were found at higher concentrations in brown shrimp, generates high amounts of HAs. Our findings have illustrated that the cooking method, shrimp types and precursors are the main contributors to the formation of HAs. The outcomes from this work could be applied to estimate the HAs human intake globally and add to steaming cooking method in such types of food products that diminish the risk of HAs exposure, and thus to get healthier food quality and security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressively fatal neurodegenerative disorder, is the most prominent form of dementia found today. Patients suffering from Alzheimer's begin to show the signs and symptoms, like decline in memory and cognition, long after the cellular damage has been initiated in their brain. There are several hypothesis for the neurodegeneration process; however, the lack of availability of in vivo models makes the recapitulation of AD in humans impossible. Moreover, the drugs currently available in the market serve to alleviate the symptoms and there is no cure for the disease. There have been two major hurdles in the process of finding the same—the inefficiency in cracking the complexity of the disease pathogenesis and the inefficiency in delivery of drugs targeted for AD. This review discusses the different drugs that have been designed over the recent years and the drug delivery options in the field of nanotechnology that have been found most feasible in surpassing the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and reaching the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report the synthesis of nano-donut shaped nickel oxide (NiO) nanostructures using a simple low-temperature hydrothermal process. The detailed characterizations of nano-donut shaped NiO confirm that the as-synthesized nanostructures are grown in large quantity with relatively uniform morphology. Using the nano-donut shaped NiO nanostructures, the electrochemical based non-enzymatic glucose sensors were fabricated and their catalytic properties towards glucose electro-oxidation were conducted in alkaline media. The sensing results revealed the high sensitivity (904.6 µA mM−1 cm−2) and low detection limit (1.4 µM). Owing to the high glucose sensing performance, the nano-donut shaped NiO nanostructures with a unique two-dimensional morphology and high specific surface area have the potential for electrochemical sensing of other biochemical analytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current investigation, five most potential HAs (MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, IQ, MeIQ and PhIP) were analyzed in traditional Saudi chicken dishes (shawaya, Ala Al-Faham, kebab, saleeg, mandi, kabsa and madhbi) prepared from local restaurants. The aims of the present study were to identify the presence of HAs in cooked chicken dishes, and to conclude how the levels and types of HAs could be affected by cooking methods and food ingredients. In control samples, HAs were found at higher levels ranged from not quantified to 33.72 ng/g. Nonetheless, in chicken dishes, the HAs (MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx and PhIP) amounts are varied at higher range and relatively detected at lower levels from not quantified to 16.35 ng/g, IQ and MeIQ were not identified in any of the studied chicken dishes except shawaya where found to be not quantified. The HAs reduction rates were obtained at higher values in all of the studied samples, among them mandi sample demonstrates the reduction rates higher than 70%, whereas saleeg sample shows the reduction rates almost 100% except PhIP (~95%). The obtained outcomes have markedly showed that HAs occurrence in thermally processed chicken dishes is extremely affected from both cooking methods and addition of food ingredients. Image 1 • Five highly potential HAs were analyzed in traditional Saudi chicken dishes. • Cooking methods and food ingredients influence on HAs formation in chicken dishes. • HAs are varied at higher range and detected at lower levels in chicken dishes. • HAs reduction rates were achieved from 70 to 100% in some samples. • Epidemiologic studies to account for effect of ingredients on cancer risk from HAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we employed supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) treatment under varying conditions: low-pressure treatment at 30 MPa and high temperature at 80°C (LPHT group) and high-pressure treatment at 60 MPa and low temperature at 50°C (HPLT group) for nanocellulose isolation. The scCO2 treatment resulted in smaller particle sizes and enhanced crystallinity. Notably, HPLT exhibited superior efficiency compared to LPHT treatment. Utilizing temperatures and pressures above the critical point effectively penetrated natural fibers, reducing nanocellulose particle sizes. Moreover, high-pressure and low-temperature nanocellulose demonstrated the highest crystallinity and negative zeta potential values (78.2% and –32.4±4.01 mV), surpassing those of the low-pressure and high-temperature group (77.9% and 26.0±2.34 mV) and control (77.3% and 25.9±3.13 mV). The concentration of nanocellulose significantly impacted the porosity, pore size, and water absorption of the bioaerogel scaffolds, indicating the potential for sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches in material fabrication for diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional titanium carbides (Ti 3 C 2 T x) are part of the novel family of transition metal carbides/nitrides known as MXenes, which exhibit a broad range of photo-electrocatalytic applications. In this study, we present a facile hydrothermal synthesis method for Ti 3 C 2 T x decorated on molybdenum diselenide (MoSe 2) nanoflower composites, serving as an enhanced catalyst for hydrogen (H 2) evolution. Ti 3 C 2 T x , acting as a 2D conductive substrate, facilitates electron transfer, preventing MoSe 2 agglomeration, while MoSe 2 offers abundant active sites. The characterizations of surface analysis, optical properties, morphological nanostructure, and elemental composition performance of Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets, MoSe 2 nanoflowers, and Ti 3 C 2 T x /MoSe 2 nanoflower composites was conducted using FTIR, XRD, UV–Visible spectroscopy, SEM, EDS Mapping, TEM, and XPS techniques. The catalyst with optimal performance, the Ti 3 C 2 T x /MoSe 2 nanoflower composite demonstrates excellent functional properties in the H 2 evolution, showing a lower overpotential of 135 mV and smaller Tafel slope of 72 mV/dec at 10 mA/cm2 compared to Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets and MoSe 2 nanoflowers. The Ti 3 C 2 T x /MoSe 2 nanoflower composite forms heterojunctions to inhibit the rapid recombination rate of photo-induced electrons and holes. In comparison to MoSe 2 nanoflowers and Ti 3 C 2 T x catalysts (where T x = F, and O surface terminations), the optimized Ti 3 C 2 T x /MoSe 2 nanoflower composite exhibits significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity in H 2 production, with a H 2 production rate of 2146 μmolg−1h−1 superior than the Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets (1367 μmolg−1h−1) and MoSe 2 nanoflowers (986 μmolg−1h−1), respectively. Through this design, effective separation of photogenerated charge carriers is achieved, improving the activity of photocatalytic H 2 production and demonstrating the promise of the cocatalyst strategy for photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work describes the outcomes of the assessment on acrylamide contents in a number of thermally treated foods (Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea) obtained from the Saudi Arabian markets. A total of 56 food samples of different brands and origin were studied, the amounts of acrylamide in Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea were obtained in the range of 10 to 682 μg kg−1. In comparison to coffee (152-682 μg kg−1), the Arabic coffee Qahwa (73-108 μg kg−1) and tea (10-97 μg kg−1) contain lower amounts of acrylamide. Among the analyzed samples, the green tea contained low amounts of acrylamide ranged from 10 to 18 μg kg−1, and thus the green tea could be considered as a healthier hot drink. A great variation of acrylamide formation has been observed in these food products. This divergence may be due to the initial concentration of amino acids especially asparagines and reducing sugars in food products, in addition to roasting temperature and time, pH and water activity. The obtained data can also be used in epidemiological investigation to estimate the acrylamide exposure from nutritional survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene expression profiling is the criterion standard for recognizing Ph-like ALL signatures among B-ALLs. The prerequisite of GEP is the accurate normalization of target genes with stable expression of housekeeping genes in a quantitative PCR. HKGs exhibit differential expression in the different experimental conditions and affect the target genes' expression, leading to imprecise qPCR results. The selection of stable HKGs is crucial in GEP experiments, especially in identifying high-risk Ph-like ALL cases. We have evaluated the expression stability of nine HKGs (GAPDH, ACTB, GUSB, RNA18S, EEF2, PGK1, B2M, TBP and ABL1) in identified Ph-like ALLs and Ph-negative (n = 23 each) using six algorithms, 4 traditional softwares; geNorm, BestKeeper, NormFinder, Delta Cq value method, and two algorithms, RefFinderTM and ComprFinder. Further, we have validated the expression of 8 overexpressed normalized genes in Ph-like ALL cases (JCHAIN, CA6, MUC4, SPATS2L, BMPR1B, CRLF2, ADGRF1 and NRXN3). GeNorm, BestKeeper, NormFinder, Delta Cq value method, RefFinderTM and ComprFinder algorithm analysis revealed that EEF2, GAPDH, and PGK1 form the best representative HKGs in Ph-like ALL cases, while RNA18s, ß-actin, and ABL1 in Ph-negative ALLs. Lastly, we performed a correlation analysis and found that the combination of EEF2, GAPDH, and PGK1 represents the best combination with a very high correlation in Ph-like ALL cases. This is the first report that shows EEF2, GAPDH, and PGK1 are the best HKG genes and can be used in the diagnostic panel of Ph-like ALL cases using qPCR at baseline diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The published literature on hematological, clinical, flowcytometric‐immunophenotyping, and minimal residual disease outcomes of the prognostically important genetic subtypes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is scarce from low‐income countries. For newer classifications such as BCR::ABL1‐like ALLs, the scarcity of patient‐level data is even more pronounced. Methods: The authors performed comprehensive detection of recurrent gene fusions and BCR::ABL1‐like ALL cases followed by immunophenotypic profiling and obtained clinical outcome parameters for a large cohort (n = 1021) of patients from India. This cohort included a significant number of patients with BCR::ABL1‐like ALL subtype and other genetic subtypes of ALL. Results: Patients with BCR::ABL1‐positive and BCR::ABL1‐like ALL were significantly older, had male preponderance, and expressed a higher white blood cell count than BCR::ABL1‐negative cases (p <.05). Logistic regression modeling of B‐lineage‐ALL (B‐ALL) subtypes revealed that cluster of differentiation (CD)36 is a strong statistically significant predictive marker of BCR::ABL1‐like ALL (p <.05). Furthermore, patients with BCR::ABL1‐like ALLs show a significantly higher frequency of CD36 expression compared to BCR::ABL1‐negative ALLs (p <.05). In terms of clinical symptoms, lymphadenopathy is a strong statistically significant predictive marker in BCR::ABL1‐like ALLs compared to BCR::ABL1‐negative ALL cases (p <.05). In terms of treatment outcomes, minimal residual disease (MRD) positivity in BCR::ABL1‐positive ALL cases were statistically significant (p <.05), and BCR::ABL1‐like ALL cases had high MRD‐positivity as compared to BCR::ABL1‐negative ALL cases but did not show statistical significance. Conclusions: The findings evince the use of novel therapies and personalized treatment regimens to improve the overall survival of the newer incorporated entities in B‐ALLs. This is the first report characterizing the hematological, clinical, flowcytometric‐immunophenotyping, and minimal residual disease outcomes of the prognostically significant subtypes of ALLs in patients from India. Plain Language Summary: Characterizing the hematological, clinical, flowcytometric‐immunophenotyping, and minimal residual disease outcomes of the prognostically significant subtypes (n = 1021) of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALLs) in patients from India.We have made two independent logistic regression models of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers and clinical symptoms to differentiate prognostically significant subtypes of ALLs.Logistic regression analysis of CD markers revealed CD36 as a strong predictor in BCR::ABL1‐like ALL cases compared to BCR::ABL1‐negative ALL cases.Logistic regression analysis of clinical symptoms revealed lymphadenopathy significantly predicts BCR::ABL1‐like ALLs (p <.05).In terms of treatment outcomes, BCR::ABL1‐positive ALL had statistically significant minimal residual disease (MRD) (p <.05), and BCR::ABL1‐like ALL cases had high MRD‐positivity but did not show statistical significance as compared to BCR::ABL1‐negative ALLs. This study characterizes prognostically significant genetic subtypes of B‐acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‐ALL). Logistic regression modeling of cluster of differentiation markers and clinical symptoms is used to predict various genetic subtypes of B‐ALL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen-doped biochar performs much better in dye adsorption due to its rich functional groups. Soybean cake, a by-product of soybean oil production, comprises rich contents of cellulose, lignin, and protein. Therein, simple direct carbonization was utilized to prepare self-nitrogendoped biochar (SCB). The results showed that the N content of SCB was 6.81 wt%, and its specific surface area was 18.8 m2/g. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic results confirmed that the surface of SCB was rich in pyridine-N, pyrrole-N, graphite-N, and oxidized-N functional groups. The adsorption capacity of SCB for Rhodamine B was 17.2 mg/g, which is higher compared with other unactivated biochars. The results of thermodynamic parameters indicate that Rhodamine B adsorption on SCB is an endothermic, entropy-increasing, and spontaneous process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to develop a composite film composed of eugenol Pickering emulsion and pullulan–gelatin, and to evaluate its preservation effect on chilled beef. The prepared composite film was comprehensively evaluated in terms of the stability of emulsion, the physical properties of the film, and an analysis of freshness preservation for chilled beef. The emulsion size (296.0 ± 10.2 nm), polydispersity index (0.457 ± 0.039), and potential (20.1 ± 0.9 mV) proved the success of emulsion. At the same time, the films displayed good mechanical and barrier properties. The index of beef preservation also indicated that eugenol was a better active ingredient than clove essence oil, which led to the rise of potential of hydrogen, chroma and water content, and effectively inhibited microbial propagation, protein degradation and lipid oxidation. These results suggest that the prepared composites can be used as promising materials for chilled beef preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the fabrication of nanofibers using different types of gelatins, including bovine, porcine, and fish gelatins. The gelatins exhibited distinct molecular weights and apparent viscosity values, leading to different entanglement behavior and nanofiber production. The electrospinning technique produced nanofibers with diameters from 47 to 274 nm. The electrospinning process induced conformational changes, reducing the overall crystallinity of the gelatin samples. However, porcine gelatin nanofibers exhibited enhanced molecular ordering. These findings highlight the potential of different gelatin types to produce nanofibers with distinct physicochemical properties. Overall, this study sheds light on the relationship between gelatin properties, electrospinning process conditions, and the resulting nanofiber characteristics, providing insights for tailored applications in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotics viability and stability is a core challenge for the food processing industry. To prolong the viability of probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus), gelatin (GE)–chitosan (CH) polyelectrolytes‐coated nanoliposomes were developed and characterized. The average particle size of the nanoliposomes was in the range of 131.7–431.6 nm. The mean zeta potential value of the nanoliposomes differed significantly from −42.2 to −9.1 mV. Scanning electron micrographs indicated that the nanoliposomes were well distributed and had a spherical shape with a smooth surface. The Fourier transform infrared spectra revealed that the GE–CH polyelectrolyte coating has been effectively applied on the surface of nanoliposomes and L. acidophilus cells were successfully encapsulated in the lipid‐based nanocarriers. X‐ray diffraction results indicated that nanoliposomes are semicrystalline and GE–CH polyelectrolyte coating had an influence on the crystalline nature of nanoliposomes. Moreover, the coating of L. acidophilus‐loaded nanoliposomes with GE–CH polyelectrolytes significantly improved its viability when exposed to simulated gastrointestinal environments. The findings of the current study indicated that polyelectrolyte‐coated nanoliposomes could be used as an effective carrier for the delivery of probiotics and their application to food matrix for manufacturing functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Anthocyanins have attracted increasing attention for different packaging systems due to having functional features such as biocompatibility, antioxidative activity, visible colour response at varying pH values. In this study, the extract of Aronia melanocarpa as anthocyanins source was incorporated into guar gum films to take advantage of both antioxidant and pH responsive attributes. Aronia addition did not affect the thermal stability of guar gum films. Radical scavenging activity of the films (%) was measured by 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, and aronia added films exhibited very strong antioxidant activity (up to 85%). The colour of aronia solution varied from pink to brown with pH ranging from 1 to 13. Similarly, when the films were immersed in buffer solutions at different pH values, the visual colour varied from pink to brownish yellow. ΔE values of GR_AR_3 (guar gum films having the highest aronia concentration) ranged between 23.31 and 40.62 at pH 1–13. This result proved colour change of the films can be even detected by untrained consumers. Furthermore, the films were found to be very sensitive to ammonia vapour. Aronia incorporated guar gum films could be suggested as both antioxidant films to prevent foods oxidation from oxidation and promising intelligent films to monitor the deterioration of foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report the synthesis of photoluminescent (PL) nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) co-doped carbon dots (NS-CDs) from nitazoxanide and 3-mercaptopropionic acid as a precursors via a one-pot hydrothermal methods. N and S co–doped materials allows more active sites in the CDs surface resulting in an enhancement of their PL properties. NS-CDs show bright blue PL, excellent optical properties, good water solubility, and a high quantum yield (QY) of 32.1%. The as-prepared NS-CDs were confirmed by UV–Visible, photoluminescence, FTIR, XRD and TEM analysis. An optimized excitation at 345 nm, the NS-CDs exhibited strong PL emission at 423 nm with an average size of 3.53 ± 0.25 nm. Under optimized conditions, the NS-CDs PL probe shows high selectivity with Ag+/Hg2+ ions detected, while other cations no significant changes the PL signal. The PL intensity of NS-CDs linearly quenching and enhancement with Ag+ and Hg2+ ions from 0 to 50 × 10−6 M, with the detection limit of 2.15 × 10−6 M and 6.77 × 10−7 M (S/N = 3). More interestingly, as-synthesized NS-CDs shows a strong binding to Ag+/Hg2+ ions with the PL quenching and enhancement to precise and quantitative detection of Ag+/Hg2+ ions in living cells. The proposed system was effectively utilized for the sensing of Ag+/Hg2+ ions in real samples resulting in high sensitivity and good recoveries (98.4–109.7%). • NS-CDs were hydrothermally synthesized from NTZ and MPA. • The as-prepared NS-CDs show excellent optical properties and high QY (32.1%). • NS-CDs as a PL probe for detection of Ag+ and Hg2+ ions with high selectivity. • NS-CDs and their complexes were confirmed the biocompatibility for cell imaging. • A novel PL sensor is performed to Ag+ and Hg2+ detection in real water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]